


The Way The River Flows

by Dracoline



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Canon Compliant, Crookedstar's Promise is also a prerequisite, Gen, I mean you don't have to read it to enjoy this but some things will make more sense if you do, [will add more tags as things happen], basically the OG books 1-6 but from RiverClan POV, btw if you ever wanted to know more about some really minor RiverClan characters, like seriously enough is enough, oh and NO superpowers, this is totally the fic for you, which is more interesting than it sounds I swear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-31 19:37:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13981911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dracoline/pseuds/Dracoline
Summary: Two kits, born from two great leaders. A world of expectations to live up to, with very little room for error. And the hints of a lingering curse, stemming from a broken promise.A retelling of the original six books from a different perspective - with one minor change. (...Well, maybe it's not so minor.)[Title is subject to change.]





	1. Assumptions & Revisions

**Author's Note:**

> (lol I read these books in fourth grade and I'm only just doing this now haha kill me)
> 
> Some background: I've been a longtime fan of the Warriors series for over a decade now. I tore through the original series (Into the Wild through Darkest Hour) and then read each book as they were released (including Super Editions) up until the end of Omen of the Stars, after which I realized they had been churning these books out for a while and gave up actively following the franchise. The most recent Super Edition novel I've read fully is Tallstar's Revenge. The Super Edition I actually enjoyed the most was Crookedstar's Promise, so that's what I decided to use as a basis for this fic over six years ago.
> 
> Well, sort of. The real catalyst was when my sister and I discovered our 'official' Warrior names and Clan, and the gears started turning from there - 'what would happen if we were actually there when the story happened', etc. So it's...sort of self-insert, but not really. There's a certain stigma associated with self-insert stories that I'd prefer to avoid, so I've done a lot of work making sure these characters are compelling enough to blend into the story organically and still stand on their own. You guys can be the judge of how well I accomplish that.
> 
> But more importantly, this fic is (or at least is meant to be), in many ways, my love letter to the original series - it may be written and marketed as a children's series, but underneath the cartoony concept of anthropomorphized cats are some startlingly well-executed themes, plot twists, and character arcs (as well as what may still be the best villain death I've ever seen in literary fiction). Far more than one would expect from a book series sitting in a grade school library. This fic is my attempt go back to the roots of the franchise, back before it started relying way too heavily on magical powers and evil warrior spirits to create a compelling plot line. (DISCLAIMER: I actually have a much more complex opinion about the series (including each subseries, individual book, SE, etc.) that I'm boiling down to _immense_ simplicity here, so don't just assume I've written off every book after the first six as garbage, lol. I'm just trying to get to my point.)
> 
> Why did it take me so long to start actually writing this thing? Well, it started out as a collaboration between my sister and myself, and for all intents and purposes it still is. But our timing wasn't great - we started this project right as I was preparing to head off for college, and once that happened, stuff like this had to be put on the backburner, where it stayed for a long time. As a result, pretty much all of what I have written down now is from six years ago. I don't even remember all the details we once had planned for this story, and I was about ready to scrap it. But my sister reached out recently, wanting to know if we could still finish it someday (or even start it, really), and I looked at all the work I'd already done and went 'alright - what the hell.' I really don't know how it's going to turn out at this point, but I've decided to at least post some of what I have and see what the reception is like.
> 
> Anyway, here's an overview of what to expect heading into this: It's going to cover the same general timeline as books 1-6. It is intended to be both a standalone story and a supplement to the original series, and will strictly follow canon events (this is _not_ meant to be an AU). It will be told through two 'main' characters, both OCs, based (extremely loosely) off of myself and my sister, using our 'official' warrior names. And it takes place in RiverClan.
> 
> Now although Crookedstar's Promise is probably my favorite SE, it's certainly not without its flaws. In the case of inconsistencies between it and the main series (of which there are many), we will generally defer to the main series for accuracy. However, there is a rather extensive list of assumptions and revisions that had to be made in order for this story to work at all. Which is literally all this 'chapter' is. I'm posting this, the allegiances, and the prologue all in separate 'chapters' to kind of test the waters. Most of what I have now is pretty much set in stone, but I'll take any and all suggestions on what kind of direction the story should take from here - I've got a pretty clear plot baseline from the original series and a whole lot of character notes, but not much else!
> 
> If you've read this far and you're still interested, please let me know! I'm going to be relying a lot on user feedback to keep this story going. (And I promise the author's notes won't always be this long.)
> 
> Thanks~

We will assume that the time between the end of _Crookedstar’s Promise_ and the start of the prologue is between 6-12 moons, based on the estimated ages of Silverstream and Leopardfur in the main series.

We will assume that Mistyfoot and Stonefur are new warriors at the start of the prologue, not much older than Silverpaw.

We will assume that Brambleberry died between the end of _Crookedstar’s Promise_ and the start of the prologue, leaving Mudfur to take over as the sole RiverClan medicine cat.

We will assume that many of the senior warriors in _Crookedstar’s Promise_ have died or become elders by the start of the prologue, including Rippleclaw, Timberfur, Echomist, Owlfur, Ottersplash, Cedarpelt, Piketooth, Lilystem, Fallowtail, and Lakeshine. We are basing this around Graypool’s own elderly state in the main series, and the fact that she was younger than all of the cats mentioned previously.

We will assume that the remaining unlisted warriors—Shimmerpelt, Softwing, Whitefang, Voleclaw, Beetlenose, Petaldust, Sunfish, Frogleap, Skyheart, Reedtail, and Sedgecreek—are all still alive by the start of the prologue, and we will include most of them in the story despite the fact that there is no mention of them in the main series.

We will ignore the fact that Shimmerpelt, Softwing, Whitefang, Voleclaw, Beetlenose, and Petaldust are also supposedly older than Graypool, because the authors did not give us enough RiverClan cats to work with in the main series, and because it is simply unrealistic to assume that over half the Clan would die off in the span of 6-12 moons barring some sort of plague.

We will assume that Crookedstar had his kits with Willowbreeze fairly late in his life, in an attempt to close the gap in age between Mistyfoot, Stonefur, Silverstream, Wildheart, and Leopardnose.

We will alter the relationship of Oakheart with his kits in _Crookedstar’s Promise_ to better match the one depicted in the main series, as it was made clear that Mistyfoot and Stonefur knew from the start that Oakheart was their father.

We will neglect to mention Mudfur’s warrior history, or to acknowledge that that he is Leopardfur’s father, because it makes no sense for a number of reasons. First of all, if Mudfur was already an older warrior when Crookedstar was still a ‘paw, he should have been long dead by the beginning of the first main series, let alone the second. Secondly, Mudfur’s history is not consistent with his history in the main series, and conflicts directly with another super edition, _Yellowfang’s Secret_ , in which he is introduced as a medicine cat apprentice right from the start. Furthermore, Mudfur has never been renowned as a fighter, and there is no evidence to suggest his supposed former warrior status in any of the other books. Lastly, there is absolutely no mention of Leopardstar being Mudfur’s daughter, and no connection between them other than that of a leader and medicine cat. Every fact given about Mudfur in _Crookedstar’s Promise_ is unsupported and goes against everything else we know about him from the main series, and even the other super editions. Therefore, we will assume that Mudfur has trained as a medicine cat for the entire duration of his life, is in fact younger than Crookedstar (let’s say one of Lakeshine’s litter, as this coincides nicely with his medicine cat apprenticeship, making him the brother of Sunfish instead of Frogleap) and that Brightsky died giving birth to Rippleclaw’s kits instead, of which only Leopardkit survived.

We will assume that Dawnkit and Mallowkit died in the story as was stated rather than becoming Dawnbright and Mallowtail.

We will assume that Grasskit is a she-cat and change her name to Greenkit, to account for the mention of a RiverClan queen named Greenflower in the main series.

We will assume that Blackclaw and Sedgecreek are the parents of Heavystep, Shadepelt, and Whiteclaw.

We will assume that Petaldust and Loudbelly are the parents of Mosspelt.

Finally, we will omit Skyheart, Frogleap, and Vixenpaw from the story because they are unnecessary and received little to no character development in _Crookedstar’s Promise._


	2. Allegiances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. I forgot how little info there was on any clan allegiances other than ThunderClan during this time period. Crookedstar's Promise helped me flesh RiverClan out but ShadowClan and WindClan are anyone's guess. I'll have to come back and update this a bit later.

RIVERCLAN

Leader:  **Crookedstar—** huge light-colored tabby with a twisted jaw.

Deputy:  **Leopardfur—** unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat.

Medicine Cat:  **Mudfur** **—** long-haired light brown tom.

Warriors:

  * **Shimmerpelt—** night-black she-cat with glossy pelt.
  * **Softwing—** small, lithe, white she-cat with tabby patches.
    * **Apprentice, Greenpaw**
  * **Whitefang** —pure white tom with tabby-striped tail and brown paws.
  * **Voleclaw—** slate-gray tom.
  * **Beetlenose—** broad-shouldered tom with crow-black fur.
  * **Sunfish—** light-colored she-cat.
  * **Frogleap** —tom with a striped tail.
  * **Blackclaw—** lean, smoky-black tom.
  * **Loudbelly** —dark brown tom.
    * **Apprentice, Silverpaw**
  * **Reedtail—** pale gray tabby tom.
  * **Mistyfoot** —dark gray she-cat.
  * **Stonefur** —gray tom with battle-scarred ears.



Queens:

  * **Sedgecreek** —brown tabby she-cat (mother to Heavykit, Shadekit, and Whitekit).
  * **Leopardfur** —unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat (mother to Wildkit and Leopardkit).
  * **Petaldust** —tortoiseshell she-cat (mother to Mosskit).



Apprentices:

  * **Greenpaw—** brown-striped she-cat.
  * **Silverpaw** —slender silver tabby she-cat.



Elders:

  * **Piketooth** —skinny brown tabby tom with a narrow face and protruding canine teeth.
  * **Fallowtail** —light brown she-cat with blue eyes and soft fur.
  * **Graypool** —thin gray she-cat with patchy fur and a scarred muzzle.



 

THUNDERCLAN

Leader:  **Bluestar—** blue-gray she-cat, tinged with silver around her muzzle.

Deputy:  **Redtail—** small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail. ( **Apprentice, Dustpaw** )

Medicine Cat:  **Spottedleaf** **—** beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat.

Warriors:

  * **Lionheart **—**** magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane.
  * ******Tigerclaw **—******** big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws.
    * **Apprentice, Ravenpaw**
  * ********Whitestorm** **—******** big white tom.
    * **Apprentice, Sandpaw**
  * ****Speckletail ** ** ** **—************ pale tabby she-cat.
  * **Darkstripe ** ** ** **—********** sleek black-and-gray tabby tom.
  * **Runningwind ** ** **—******** swift tabby tom.
  * ********Frostfur ** ** ** **—**************** beautiful white she-cat with blue eyes.
  * **********Brindleface ** ** ** **—****************** pale gray tabby she-cat with darker flecks.
  * **Longtail ** ** ** **—********** pale tabby tom with dark black stripes.
  * **Mousefur ** ** ** **—********** small dusky brown she-cat.



Apprentices: ** ** ** ** **  
**********

  * **Ravenpaw ** ** ** **—********** small skinny black tom with a white-tipped tail.
  * **Dustpaw ** ** ** **—********** dark brown tabby tom.
  * **Sandpaw ** ** ** **—********** pale ginger she-cat.



Queens:

  * **Willowpelt ** ** ** **—********** very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes.
  * **Goldenflower ** ** ** **—********** sleek, pale ginger tabby she-cat.



Elders:

  * **Smallear ** ** ** **—********** gray tom with very small ears.
  * **One-Eye ** ** ** **—********** pale gray she-cat, virtually blind and deaf.
  * **Halftail** ** ** ** **—******** big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing.
  * **Rosetail ** ** ** **—********** gray tabby she-cat with a bushy pink-orange tail.
  * **Dappletail ** ** ** **—********** once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat.
  * **Patchpelt** ** ** ** **—******** small black-and-white tom.



 

SHADOWCLAN

Leader: **Brokenstar—** long-haired dark brown tabby.

Deputy:  **Blackfoot—** large white tom with huge jet-black paws.

Medicine Cat:  **Yellowfang** — **(Apprentice, Runningnose)**

Warriors:

  * **Stumpytail **—**** brown tabby tom.
    * **Apprentice, Brownpaw**
  * **Cinderfur **—**** thin gray tom.
  * **Tangleburr **—**** gray-and-brown she-cat.
  * **Boulder **—**** silver tabby tom.
    * **Apprentice, Wetpaw**
  * **Clawface **—**** battle-scarred brown tom.
    * **Apprentice, Littlepaw**
  * **Nightpelt **—**** battered black tom with a glossy pelt.
  * **Russetfur **—**** dark ginger she-cat.
  * **Tallpoppy **—**** long-legged light brown tabby she-cat.



Queens:

  * **Dawncloud **—**** small tabby.
  * **Brightflower **—**** black-and-white she-cat.



Elders:

  * **Ashfur **—**** thin gray tom.



 

WINDCLAN

Leader:  **Tallstar** **—** black-and-white tom with a very long tail.

Deputy:  **Deadfoot—** black tom with a twisted paw.

Medicine Cat:  **Barkface** **—** short-tailed brown tom.

Warriors:

  * **Mudclaw **—**** mottled dark brown tom.
    * **Apprentice, Webpaw**
  * **Tornear **—**** tabby tom.
    * **Apprentice, Runningpaw**
  * **Onewhisker **—**** young brown tabby tom.
    * **Apprentice, Whitepaw**



Queens:

  * **Ashfoot **—**** gray she-cat.
  * **Morningflower** **—** tortoiseshell she-cat.




	3. Prologue

Crookedstar padded quietly across the camp, not wanting to wake his sleeping Clanmates. It was late at night, and the moon was high in the sky; he hoped the cat he intended to visit wasn’t asleep like the rest of them. He had refrained from doing this earlier in the day, hoping to avoid prying eyes and awkward questions. Even now, Crookedstar felt a painful knot in his belly that only intensified as his paws carried him closer and closer to his destination. For some reason, the prospect of the interaction he was about to have was making him more uncomfortable than an upcoming battle against a rival Clan.

When he reached the edge of the den, he stopped, his paws working uncertainly at the ground. Was this really the right thing to do? Maybe it would be better for every cat if he just stayed out of it. Then Crookedstar shook his head sharply, angry with himself. He should have taken responsibility for this moons ago. He was a leader, and he needed to act like one. With a final, determined lash of his tail, Crookedstar straightened, braced himself—and padded into the nursery.

A sleek, golden, dark-spotted tabby she-cat lay stretched out in the nest closest to the entrance. Two kits lay huddled against her stomach. She looked up as Crookedstar slipped into the den, her amber eyes dull with exhaustion. “You came,” she rasped. “I thought you would.”

Crookedstar swallowed. Now that the moment to talk had come, it was more difficult than he had anticipated. He realized that he had been half-hoping to come in and find her asleep after all, allowing him to put this moment off for another day, or moon, or season… He flicked his ears, willing these negligent thoughts away. “Leopardfur,” he began, forcing himself to meet her gaze as he spoke. “I—I know I’ve been irresponsible. I should have been here for you the past moon—”

The she-cat interrupted him, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I didn’t stay up half the night to listen to your apologies and explanations. I want to know what we’re going to do now.”

“Of course.” He took a deep breath, feeling like an apprentice that had just been scolded for speaking out of turn. _What kind of leader am I?_ He started again. “As far as the situation between us goes…I think you know as well as I do that this was not meant to be…permanent.”

“It was a mistake,” Leopardfur said pointedly. “We are not mates, Crookedstar. And I am not a queen. I am your deputy, and I will remain your deputy until one of us goes to join StarClan. You assured me of this yourself.”

“And I would not take back my word.” Crookedstar dipped his head in affirmation, and Leopardfur blinked at him, reassured. Silence fell between them, and Crookedstar cast his gaze down to the sleeping kits— _my kits,_ he thought with a jolt. He still felt uncomfortable at the thought. What would Silverpaw think—what would _Willowbreeze_ think, watching him from StarClan with his other daughters, who had both died within a day of their birth?

"You...want to name them, I suppose?" Leopardfur mewed, cutting into his thoughts. She too was gazing down at the kits, looking no more at ease than Crookedstar himself. "They're both she-cats."

Crookedstar’s stomach gave an unpleasant lurch. Two she-cats. Two more daughters. He resisted the urge to tilt his head to StarClan, not knowing whether to praise them or curse them. Was this meant as a reprieve, a form of compensation for what he had lost as a result of his promise to Mapleshade? Or was this a continuation of his punishment, a temporary gift intended to give him false hope before being ripped away from him?

"This little one has some...spirit, you could say," Leopardfur went on when he didn't speak, gesturing to the kit closest to her front paws. It had the pelt of its father, but the long, winding tail of its mother, which, as Crookedstar could see when he looked closer, seemed to be twitching slightly at the tip. "Her littermate is so calm and quiet, but this one...when she was born she shrieked so loudly WindClan could probably hear her. And then she squirmed and kneaded incessantly at my belly for what felt like moons!" Crookedstar thought he could hear faint pride in her voice, despite her show of irritation. "Mudfur said she was as wild as the ancient Clans themselves, and, well...the name stuck. What do you think of Wildkit?"

Crookedstar drew in a short breath and nodded, forcing himself to relax. “It’s a good name.” He took a closer look at Wildkit’s littermate and thought for a moment. “Can we call this one Leopardkit?”

The queen frowned. “Leopardkit?”

“Look. She inherited your spots.” He gestured with his tail—the kit’s pelt was brown rather than golden, so the markings were subtler, but they were there all the same.

Leopardfur looked doubtful. “Does she have to share my name? I know you’ve done it before, but I’d prefer my kit to have her own—one that isn’t so similar to mine.”

Crookedstar winced. He realized that had been one of the reasons he had chosen it—he had named Willowkit after her mother as well. Was this a subconscious attempt to replace the mate and kits he’d lost? He felt a flicker of guilt, but pushed it away. Nothing could ever replace Willowbreeze or their precious daughters. Continuing the trend was simply a tribute, a way of helping to keep their memories alive.

“Her name will be Leopardkit,” he said, more sharply than he had intended. He saw Leopardfur open her mouth to protest, but something in his eyes must have convinced her, for she closed it again and nodded reluctantly. _Wildkit and Leopardkit._ Crookedstar silently repeated his kits’ names, trying to get used to the sounds. He stared hard at the little bundles of fur as they echoed in his mind. However hard he tried, he could not seem to summon up the sense of love and pride he had felt when looking down at Willowbreeze’s litter for the first time.

“…There were three kits,” Leopardfur mewed after a moment’s hesitation. Crookedstar lifted his head to look at her, surprised, but the queen was staring at her paws. “The first was a golden tabby with stripes, like yours…she wasn’t moving at all. I tried to wake her up, but…” She took a deep breath before continuing. “She was stillborn. There was nothing I could do. Mudfur has already buried her.”

Her voice was flat and unemotional, but Crookedstar could see the grief in her eyes and hear it under layers of determined indifference. Sorrow pricked at his heart as he remembered his own kits, and he drew closer to her in sympathy, but she flinched away from him, ears flattened and teeth bared.

“I did not tell you this to earn your pity!” Leopardfur hissed. “I told you because you are the father, and you deserve to know.”

“I was only trying to—” Crookedstar spoke quietly, but Leopardfur cut him off again.

“Comfort me?” She glared at him. “No, Crookedstar. You are not my mate. I do not need your comfort, and it is not your job to give it to me. I will find solace in my own time, in knowing my two remaining kits are alive and well and by performing my duties as I have always done.”

Crookedstar took a pace back. “Very well, Leopardfur,” he mewed. “As you say, we are not mates. You are one of my most competent warriors, and the best deputy I could ask for. I will find a temporary replacement for you during your time in the nursery, but I expect you to return to your duties as soon as the kits are apprenticed.”

“You don’t really think I’m willing to wait that long, do you?” Leopardfur’s tail twitched exasperatedly. “What kind of deputy spends six moons lying around in the nursery while another cat takes on all of her responsibilities? By the time the kits are apprentices, I won’t be fit to reclaim my post—it would be a great disservice to me, and to the rest of the Clan, to be reappointed when someone else is better suited for the job.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Crookedstar asked, feeling his pelt begin to prickle with unease.

Leopardfur blinked calmly at him. “I have already spoken to Petaldust. She has agreed to nurse the kits for me once she has given birth to her own. Mudfur says it will be any day now. I can return to my duties as deputy within a quarter-moon.”

Crookedstar stared at her, feeling a slow, melting anger spread from his heart to the tips of his ears and claws. For the first time since walking into the nursery, he felt fiercely protective of the kits curled against Leopardfur’s belly, and he had to take a moment to compose himself before he could respond without yowling.

“I will not have my daughters grow up without their mother!” Rage fueled his words, but he managed to keep his voice down to a low hiss. “Do you know what it’s like to go through life knowing your mother never wanted you? Always trying to impress her, trying to get her attention, and getting only coldness in return…seasons later, hoping in vain that she will be proud of you… _I_ know how that feels, Leopardfur, and I will never allow my kits to suffer the same!”

“You mouse-brained fool!” Leopardfur spat, her pelt bristling furiously. “My mother died when I was still a kit! Of course I know what it’s like to grow up without one!” Crookedstar felt a pang of guilt and tried to take back his words, to apologize, but she didn’t give him the chance. “They will always know the truth. I will visit them every day, make sure they’re healthy, care for them. It won’t matter that Petaldust nurses them instead of me. I will do as any mother would do.”

“But you won’t stay in the nursery,” Crookedstar couldn’t help venturing.

Leopardfur fixed him with a steady glare. “Is it so different for you, as the father?” she challenged. “You have leader duties to perform, but they don’t keep you from loving your kits any less, do they? You will visit them regularly, just as I will. We will take responsibility for our daughters, and Petaldust can provide the rest.”

Crookedstar forced himself to hear the sense in her words and brought his head down in a nod, chastened. Leopardfur calmed, letting her fur flatten.

A mottled brown tom poked his head into the nursery. “I trust you’ve patched up all your differences?” he mewed dryly. “I don’t need to separate the two of you before you wake every cat?”

Crookedstar shifted uncomfortably, realizing that their voices had grown progressively louder over the course of their disagreement without regard for the rest of the clan, but Leopardfur only blinked steadily at the medicine cat. “Leave us be, Mudfur. We had some things to work through. Crookedstar will be leaving soon.”

Mudfur grunted disagreeably and then withdrew. Crookedstar waited until he heard him padding back to his den before turning back to Leopardfur. “I will leave you to them, then.”

The queen ducked her head to rasp her tongue over Wildkit’s pelt and didn’t answer. Crookedstar let his gaze travel over his two new daughters and felt a sudden pang of foreboding.  _ What will these two bring to the clan? What future could any kits of mine possibly have? _

“The upcoming moons will be difficult,” Leopardfur murmured unexpectedly, not taking her eyes off the kits. “But we will get through them together, as leaders of our clan.”

Crookedstar tried to speak and found that he could not. Instead, he took a paw step forward and pressed his nose briefly against Leopardfur’s muzzle. She stiffened, but did not move away. After a few moments, he drew back silently and pushed through the nursery entrance, padding out the way he had come, feeling the weight of all the moons to come hanging over him like a dark shadow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in case it isn't clear, I don't actually ship Crookedstar and Leopardfur. I've left it up to the reader's imagination what exactly happened between them, because to be honest, it really doesn't matter all that much. This story isn't about the two of them as a pairing; it's the relationship between each of them and their kits that's important. Having Crookedstar as the father was necessary to continue some of the themes from Crookedstar's Promise, and as for Leopardfur... honestly, I just really like her. I wanted an excuse to delve into her character a bit more. And with my sister's warrior name containing 'leopard' and all, it seemed fitting. Knowing that having and raising kits is probably the very last thing she'd ever want to be doing, though, I tried to have her respond to the situation appropriately.
> 
> (And just for the record, while Wildkit and Leopardkit are based on us, Crookedstar and Leopardfur have absolutely no correlation to our own parents, personality-wise or relationship-wise.)
> 
> Some additional notes:
> 
> \- Did you know the gestation period for cats is only about two months? Throughout the entire Warriors series I don't think the exact length of pregnancy was mentioned even once. I almost blocked out nine moons in the timeline between the kits' conception and birth before something in my brain went 'no, that can't be right.'
> 
> \- Crookedstar panicked when he found out Leopardfur was expecting and basically cold-shouldered her for a moon and a half, barely addressing her outside of the standard leader/deputy courtesies. Leopardfur did him the courtesy of not announcing his fatherhood to the rest of the Clan, but she didn't deny it when asked, which many cats did.
> 
> \- (so of course the whole Clan knew within a quarter-moon)
> 
> \- And then she carried on her duties as usual until she went into pre-labor and Mudfur was forced to confine her to the nursery. (She went with a show of outward pride but internally kicking and screaming.)
> 
> \- I was born screaming, not crying, with my hands balled up into fists. It's a pretty infamous story in my family. (We have some great pictures.) It wasn't hard to give Leopardfur a reason to pick the name Wildkit of all names.
> 
> \- The stillborn kit is a small tribute to the miscarriage my own mother had before having me and my sister.


End file.
